Part time citizen legislature

The Texas legislature is a part-time, citizen legislature. It meets only once every two years for 140 days. Members of the Texas House are elected for two-year terms and are paid $7,200 per year.

It is interesting to contrast the Texas legislature with a professional legislature, such as New York's. The New York legislature is considered professional because legislators are committed to being full-time representatives; they meet year-round, serve year-round and members are paid $79,500 per year.

Former Governor Rick Perry campaigned for president on adapting the Texas model to the U.S. Congress. Perry argued that the Founders intended a "citizen" Congress similar to the one in Texas, with members serving for only a few terms and retaining their regular employment in the private sector. As far back as 2007, Perry remarked, "When you have a full-time legislature, they just feel pretty inclined to be doing something. So they are going to dream up new laws, new regulations and new statutes—and generally all of those cost money." This vision also fits with the principle of limited government—the principle that Congress or the legislature really should have a small role and the more they are in session, the more temptations they have to engage in corrupt practices and to pass laws restricting liberties.

Opponents argue that the Texas model is not one that should be adopted for the U.S. Congress or other legislatures. Legislators are not any less prone to corruption under the Texas model. Under either model, lobbyists attempt to influence policy makers, and the fact that legislators have private-sector jobs does not minimize this possibility. Meeting once every two years reduces the time to deliberate and make sensible policies.